Adopting Out a Critter

I have a friend who rescued a pit bull puppy from being dropped at the pound (they do not adopt out the breed, so he would have been put to sleep), and it inspired me to talk a little bit about how to adopt out your pet, puppies, kittens, etc.



What Should You Do First?

Unless breeding is a serious endeavor for you, you will usually be expected to neuter or spay your cat, dog, or rabbit before rehoming it.  Smaller or more exotic animals would have different expectations.  Kittens and puppies can be fixed very young (talk to your local vet) and will experience fewer complications and pain.  Think about it - if you're already having to find a new home for this animal, do you really want it breeding and making more that need homes?  In my not-so-humble opinion, breeding is always better left to those who do so responsibly and for the purpose of bettering a breed or type of animal - and they won't be adopting them, they'll be buying breeding stock with verifiable pedigrees.  There are enough mutts in the world, lovable though they may be!

Depending on the age of the animal, you will be expected to have it up to date on its vaccinations and medical procedures.  It should be in excellent health, tested for typical diseases, and protected against them.  Check with your vet about the appropriate time to vaccinate young animals - if given shots TOO early their maternal antibodies will fight it off and leave them immuno-compromised and not yet fit for a new home.  Young animals should also be appropriately socialized (with people, other animals, the vacuum cleaner, etc.) and old enough to be separated - weaning is not usually long enough and they will still be learning their social skills for another several weeks.  If your animal needs any special grooming, it should be also taken care of so it doesn't go home with a new owner with matts, skin problems, or hairballs!

It's worth it to wait until the animal is healthy before finding it a new home, or if this is the reason for rehoming, to be completely clear with the pet's needs before negotiating the exchange.  It doesn't help anyone or the animal to surprise someone with a sick or uncared for pet, and it may wind up in a home you didn't approve if they can't handle it.

It's not necessary to include leftover pet food or favorite toys, but it's a good idea if you can.  These things can help a critter adjust better to its new home, in addition to making life a little easier for the new owner.


How Do You Advertise, and Who Can Help?

You can advertise everywhere, but it is completely up to you to make sure the people who respond are the best fit for your pet.  Here are some suggestions to try:

• Craigslist or other online organizations
• Your local newspaper classifieds
• Signs at grocery stores and gas stations with permission
• Neighborhood or group newsletters
• Bulletin boards
• Social networking sites, like Facebook

I also really recommend working with your local no-kill shelters.  Kill shelters are usually too pressed to move their own animals to be able to help, but no-kills almost always can do something, whether it's spreading the news about your critter by word of mouth or actively helping you advertise.  If they have events or adoption days you may even ask to include your pet in exchange for helping request donations or volunteering.  Most no-kills are frequently full, but if you can't find your pet a new home and want them to help make sure it's a good one, it's worth asking about.  Check Petfinder or ask around for nearby breed-specific shelters, too.


How Do You Pick the Right Home?

How many precautions you take and how seriously you question potential adopters is entirely up to you, but it is definitely your responsibility and there's no real way to get around it.  Once the animal is out of your hands you don't have any say over what happens to it, so it's worth it to make sure the person you give it to is going to take good care of it.

What's the worst that could happen?  Let us count the ways.  Some people adopt animals thinking they'll enjoy them, but quickly grow bored.  When they decide to rehome it, how could you know they'll put as much care into picking a responsible new owner?  I usually insist that people only adopt an animal from me if they intend to keep it forever - until the day it dies.  Not everyone views pets as commitments.  I also insist that if they ever decide to get rid of it, for ANY reason, whether it be the next day or ten years from now, that they contact me and attempt to return it first.  Many pets become very attached to their owners and it can be hard for them to adjust after living with them for a long time - a problem which is especially heartbreaking when some folks try to get rid of geriatric pets when their care becomes expensive.  Be sure the adopter knows and understands your request if you want them to be a permanent home.

There are also those on the other end of the spectrum who bite off more than they can chew.  These are people who take in pets they cannot actually afford to care for, don't have time to give enough attention to, or just simply cannot handle.  They don't have to be hoarders for this to apply.  For avoiding issues like this I have a few requirements:

1. I ask that I be provided with copies of records of prompt vet care if anything wasn't done by me (immediate fixing, heartworm test/pills, vaccinations, whatever was not yet done).  Have a verified means of contacting them in case you need to check up on it a month or so later.  This is usually only done for the first little while - it would not be acceptable to "check up on" a new owner a year later - though you can totally visit if they welcome you to!
2. I also ask what kind of a home they are providing.  For animals that have certain needs, like acreage, a yard, extra steps, extra exercise, anything like that, it's a good idea to make sure before adopting out that all things are in place.  No pet should go to the new home until all the facilities are there and waiting.  You can ask to do a "home check," if it is something very important or if you suspect they may have too many animals or not enough space.
3. I ask about their other pets.  Some species are incompatible, and some critters just do not get along with others.  It's a good idea if they have other animals to request vet records to prove their care is done on time, to see the pets to make sure they are in good health and well-fed, and to introduce the animals carefully and see if they get along.  Likewise, it's an excellent idea to have the prospective owner meet the pet before they make a decision!  This is when things like "too hyperactive" or "too big" come up, and it's better that be mentioned before they go home!
4. I double check that the new pet would not exceed any legal or spatial limits.  Even if all the critters are well cared for, a situation can quickly become practically or legally out of hand and you don't want your pet to be the straw that broke the camel's back!

There's also those interested in fighting animals, those who don't mind abusing or neglecting them, and even those who hate a particular breed enough to pretend to want it in order to have it put down.  When it comes to horses, there are "kill buyers" that will adopt a horse only to turn around and either send it to slaughter, or sell it at a higher price claiming if it isn't adopted it will go to slaughter.  Kind but gullible people then "rescue" your animal, paying the con artist a profit!  Don't let your animal go to a stranger.  Even if a person doesn't fight animals personally, they too may see an opportunity to make a buck selling or breeding the animal to sell to those who fight or abuse.  These people can be obvious or they can seem perfectly nice - there is no way to tell without doing a little research.

It is not a bad thing to ask to do a background check (though you don't HAVE to!), and even to ask local pet stores and shelters if they have ever adopted an animal to them.  Many shelters will be able to give you a heads up if a person is a known animal abuser, or if they adopt a high number of pets they don't currently still have!  Ask for the name of their veterinarian and verify they are a client there - many people who abuse or misuse animals attempt to do the vetting themselves, or not at all, to prevent alerting authorities.  As far as doing a background check, the process is inexpensive, effective, and quick - with results coming back in just a day or two.  This is the same thing you'd have done if you were going for a job interview, only this time, the job is taking good care of a life.

This is the background check system I found but haven't tried yet, that searches specifically for a lot of valuable information like past animal incidents:  https://sniffpro.com/Order_Background_Check.php  It also searches an animal abuse database, though I'm not sure where it pulls its information.  There are a million background checkers out there - go shop around for one you trust or ask local shelters what they use.  You will need personal information from the adopter, so be sure to get their permission.  This will also alert you if they suddenly become angry or accusatory - a background check is a very private thing to ask and some frustration would be totally reasonable, but it's also a normal thing, especially if the animal you are adopting out is not a popular one (like "aggressive" dog breeds).  Not everyone who refuses abuses animals, but you should absolutely follow your gut instinct if you get a bad feeling about someone!  It is more important to find the animal a safe new home than to keep from hurting somebody's feelings.


Should You Ask for a Rehoming Fee?

The rehoming fee so frequently asked for serves one main purpose.  The core reason for a rehoming fee is in exchange for services.  If you have spent money on vet bills, special food, toys that come with the dog, or if you have been caring for him for years, a rehoming fee is the new adopter's payment for those things being already done.  It is not a way to get your money completely back for the dog's care, but is more about ensuring the initial vetting is done before your pet leaves your care while saving the new owner money (that might otherwise keep them from getting it done quickly). 

Rehoming fees are NOT:

• in exchange for your time caring for the animal.  That responsibility is expected to be done out of the kindness of your heart - not something the new owner would pay you to do.
• in exchange for the breeding of the animal.  A fee for a bred animal is not called a "rehoming fee," it's a sale cost.  If you are breeding your pets and selling them, please remember to do so ethically.  That includes being clear about where they came from, their backgrounds, and any procedures you did or did not have done before they were taken home by new owners.
• a way to make money out of an accident.  If your cat got pregnant by the local neighborhood tom and you suddenly have eight kittens on your hands, a rehoming fee is not a way to get money back for the inconvenience.  It would only be appropriate if you got them their vetting and/or fixed the animals first.
• a way to ensure the new owner is responsible or wealthy enough to care for the animal.  This is faulty logic.  The only way to make sure the owner is responsible is to check them out yourself - a dog fighter can make thousands off of a dog they bought for $30 bucks, and you do NOT want that on your conscience.  I have also been told that if a person can afford to spend $50 on a puppy, they can surely afford to get it immediately fixed and its shots all on time.  In reality, this is $50 that could have been spent on the animal's vet bills, but was instead put in your pocket.

So what SHOULD you ask for a rehoming fee, if you have invested money in the critter?  Well, it depends.  If you've had the pet for years and years, you probably are more concerned about finding a good home and less about being compensated.  In this situation, just do what your heart tells you.  Anything over $50-75 is a little suspicious (but it will always depend on your situation, special needs dogs and cats can totally be exceptions), not to mention hard for a new owner to swing.  If you just had a litter of puppies, though, and had them all dewormed, vaccinated, fixed, and microchipped, shoot for about 10-20% of your direct expenses (don't count normal foods, toys/collars/leashes that don't go with them, or anything like that - just vet bills, special needs or surgeries, and the like).  For most critters this is around $10-50.  You are welcome to ask for more or whatever you feel is fair, but do understand for larger fees many people would prefer to go to a rescue and have their choice of any animal!



Okay, that's just about everything I can think of.  Hope it helps you out if you ever find yourself needing to rehome a furry friend!

-Miss Mouse
<:3 )~~

She Has a Name!

We decided to go with Penelope, or Penny for short, as a name for our new little girl.  The surgery is going to be really expensive, so we're hoping to raise a little money amongst our friends to help us pay for it.  Hopefully we can get her fixed up before Christmas!

If you have a spare few dollars you can give, we would really appreciate it.  I put up a button on the right side of the page that should make donating simple and confidential.  Any and all money that is offered will go straight to Penny's surgery, and if we're fortunate enough to raise more than we need, all extra donations will go to God's Little Creatures shelter.  Times are tough for us, but we really feel that Penny deserves relief from her pain no matter what state our finances might be in.  She's got a lotta love, that one!

The first introductions have been made between her and Basement Cat, but so far Base isn't too thrilled.  Her tail puffs out like a raccoon whenever she hears Penny's tail thumping in the kennel.  So far we're still at safe introductions - when the cat is out, the dog is kenneled, so that the cat can feel a little less threatened and see that dog doesn't have to mean scary.

As for our bunny - those introductions aren't going to happen period if I can help it.  I know you can train most animals to get along, but when both are adopted and you're not sure about socialization - it's not a good idea to put predator and prey in the same room.  Maybe this will change in the future, but there are no current plans.

Penny is already packing on a little weight, and she's really settled in.  She's the smiliest thing you've ever seen!  When you have an adult dog that is underweight, and if you're certain the cause isn't a disease or intestinal parasite, the best food to feed is one with a high level of protein.  Puppy feed is good, since they need to eat so much more than adult dogs to grow, the calories that are there are all very useful and easily to digest.  For the same reasons puppy food is bad for normal or overweight dogs, it's excellent for underweight ones.  We're also including a lot of meaty, healthy scraps and canned food when we can, and feeding through a few small meals per day rather than a bunch at once.  We don't want to overwhelm her or anything.  Also, as odd as it sounds, it's better that she doesn't gain weight TOO fast, since she's moving on three legs right now.  Vet's words, not mine.  >.>

There's one last thing I want to talk about today:

Snakes!

Our adult yellow rat snake hasn't been eating for a few weeks, so it's a good time to talk about brumation.  Brumation is when snakes and some other reptiles basically hibernate for the winter.  Unlike other hibernating animals, though, they don't sleep more - they are simply less active and may not eat for months at a time.  This usually happens if it gets cold suddenly, if they don't have enough heat for a while, or if the light period decreases.  It tells their body it's going to get cold, their metabolism slows down, and they don't need as much food.

They still drink and can be handled, and you don't need to worry unless they become skinny.  Snakes that prefer to stay burrowed under substrate, or ones that aren't yet mature, might not notice subtle changes and may still need to eat.  Keep offering, just don't be surprised if during the winter time your reptiles aren't up for food.

Have an awesome weekend!
-Miss Mouse
<:3 )~~

Unnamed Doggy

Well, she's come home!  We don't have a name for her yet, but we've been considering Priscilla and a bunch of other girly ones.  It's hard to decide!

 

Look at that pretty face!  She's even cuter when she's actually awake!

 Still sleepy from the anesthesia.

She is one of the friendliest dogs I've ever met.  It took her a couple hours but she's finally completely bounced back from the anesthesia used for her X-ray, and she's 110% focused on getting our approval, affection, and... food.  It's super cute.

She's house trained and very quiet.  Her whine sounds like a squeaky toy.  Seriously.  It's adorable.  She's crate trained, and even though she's not in a schedule or anything yet, she knows the drill and doesn't make much fuss if you have to put her away for a bit.  I simply cannot believe how sweet and well-trained this little dog is, despite being injured so seriously.

Oh yeah, about that.

When we went in to take a look at the x-ray, the first thing the doc said was "She's been shot."  I tell you what - that is right up there with things you wish the vet would never, ever say.  Hit by car isn't much better, but it angers me so much to think someone shot her and let her wander off, with no medical attention whatsoever for weeks.  There's no external injury on her now except a scar, and she's been starving since.  Even if you thought she was a coyote, or if she was getting into something of yours - that just isn't right.

There was no righteous indignation in the room, however, just a film lit up on the wall.  Bullet bits and bone fragments sprayed out across her lower abdomen and back legs, but no organs appeared to be injured.  Where one back leg bone ought to go into the pelvis was shattered - the bottom half of the bone appeared fine and it still made it into the pelvis but the bone is...well, it's history.  It's amazing to me that she can move it at all.

 Little girl's X-ray film.  The bright white spots are bullet

fragments.  You can see clearly where the bone was

shattered, just below where it connects with the pelvis.

We have two options to discuss with the doctor who will actually operate on her.  One - putting a pin in the part of the bone still in the pelvis and the part below the break to hold the two together.  This isn't guaranteed to fix it or be very strong, and she will still have a lot of damage in the area.  Two - removal of the leg at the break.  Considering how close it is to her pelvis, it'd make her a three-legged dog.

She's basically getting along that way now, but she does still have the leg to balance, and I'm worried about how she'll compensate when that weight isn't there.  I'm going to be getting her as much exercise as she wants to try and build up the muscle in the other leg so if it has to happen, she'll be closer to ready for it.  In the meantime, fingers crossed we can take a simpler approach.

Whatever happens, she now has a supportive, loving family to help her through it.

I realize I don't have a giant readership yet or anything, but if you're reading this and you would like to help us raise money for her forthcoming surgery, she and I would both really appreciate it.  When I know how much it will cost I'll add a widget of some kind to make donating easier - in the meantime if you'd like to help, please email me at twsquirrels@gmail.com.

-Miss Mouse
<:3 )~~

New...dog...?

Actually, there are two new animals in my life right now.  My cat still hasn't come back, and it's ruining me, so perhaps I'm making ill judgements.



First is a cat.  No, I'm not keeping her.  We met her in the middle of a road walking out toward a fishing spot.  My friend and I played with her for a sec, then headed out to fish.  She followed the whole way.  Then she hung out while we fished, drinking from the lake (the weather was about 50 degrees F, it was impressive that she could without complaining) and worrying me whenever she checked out my tackle box.

We weren't going to do anything about her, figuring she was a free-roaming cat of one of the residents of the area.  She was thin but not unhealthy and had a great coat.  She's got that crazy-long tail and ear fur.  Anyways, she then followed us all the way back to the house we were visiting, so we asked them about her.  They said it came around for food all the time, but they weren't sure if it was a stray or belonged to someone.  They, my fiance, and my friends all convinced me to take her home and get her scanned for a microchip, since she didn't have a collar.

She freaked out pretty hard about being in the apartment, but eventually she's calmed down and she's doing well now.  No chip, unfortunately, but hopefully by the end of the weekend we'll either found out who owns her or get her settled some place she belongs and is comfortable.



Then, there's the dog.  While looking through found ads for my cat, I came across an ad for a found pitbull.  I checked it out because our city is very prejudiced against pits and similar breeds, and have a virtually zero tolerance for them.  You can keep them (but not in apartments), but a lost pit that makes it to the pound is unlikely to come out again.  The poster responded to an email from me, and it turns out the pit was hit by a car and sustained injuries to her back leg, hip, and at least one rib.  It wasn't recent, though, and she's getting along alright.  The woman who found her can't afford to keep her, and I knew I simply had to help.

I have a little extra cash on me because of the way our bills panned out this month, so I'm helping to get her an x-ray next week.  I talked with my fiance, and once he saw her, he agreed we could adopt her.  The woman at the shelter we met at offered to help raise money to get her any needed surgeries, shots, and tests, and we discovered she was already spayed.  She's good with cats, though I'm not going to be able to let our rabbit out around her, obviously.  It looks...it looks like we're getting a dog.

It's still a question mark, especially since I really didn't think we could afford one for another long while, and because our apartment isn't pro-pitbulls.  We're not intending to stay here very long, though, so hopefully it won't be an issue.  I don't know, it's a lot very suddenly.  I thought we were just going to help with the x-ray, but as soon as my fiance saw her, he just said "yes."

I'm terrified of what it'll cost, but I'm absolutely in love with her.  I missed my chance to help the last dog I had an opportunity to, and I'm not making the same mistake.  Hopefully we'll have a new addition to our family soon.  I'll definitely keep you guys updated on how it all goes, and anything that I learn along the way.  I haven't been able to keep a dog of my own since I was a very small child, so this will be really exciting!

Our new potential puppy-dog, in her ad photo

I can't believe this is really happening!

-Miss Mouse
<:3 )~~

Bringing a New Pet Home - Part One

My boyfriend and I have been checking out houses for a while now to find our perfect first home.  With much more space than our little apartment affords, we were toying with the idea of perhaps getting our first puppy along with it.  Not *quite* sure yet, but we've both always wanted a border collie.  :)

This got me thinking, so this Saturday and next I'll be rambling about the fun, but important, things to cover before and after bringing home your new friend.  :D

Today - Preparing for your new pet!

Do Your Research
And I'm not talking about asking the store employee which lizard will suit you best five minutes before bringing one home, either.  Before you ever buy a cage or go look at the shop's animals, get on the world wide web and start digging around for info to help you decide if you and that animal are a good match.  Here are some great questions to research:

     - What does the critter need for food?

     - What does the critter need for caging, litter, or space?

     - What do they need for companionship and exercise?

     - Do you have the time and money to exceed its needs?

     - Do they get along with any other pets you may have?

It's important to look at more than just one website for your information, in case the person or company publishing it doesn't have as much info as someone else, or is writing under a misconception.  Once you are certain you can meet and exceed all of the animal's requirements, can care for any friends it might require (like social animals that need to be purchased in pairs or colonies), and are aware of all of its habitat or medical requirements, it's time to move on to the next step.

Set Up the Cage or Supplies FIRST

As exciting as it is to bring your new pet home right away, it's important that your home be prepared.  It can be stressful to both you and the animal if you have to watch it while setting up its new home.  Have whatever litter box, food bowl, bed, cage, or other supplies completely prepared so the animal can relax for a little without the added activity.  This is especially important for fish - have an isolation tank set up and completely cycled before ever purchasing your new aquatic pet.

This actually leads to the last step for pre-pet preparations...

Proof the House Before Problems Arise

If your new pet is an out-of-the-cage sort,  like a bunny, puppy, kitten, ferret, etc., it will quickly become necessary to critter-proof anything in the house within reach...BEFORE damage to the house or the pet becomes an issue.  How to proof?

For cats, the biggest problem is usually scratching, climbing, or knocking things over.  I am painfully familiar with this one, and so is my denim couch!  Before your kitten or cat comes home, go through anywhere in the house they will have access to looking for:  exposed wires, glass or fragile things on counters, shelves, or desks, and any other pets the little ball of fur might find appetizing.  It's also a good idea to have extra litter boxes around the house, at least one per room, so no accidents occur.  Obviously, remove any poisons or household chemicals from reach.  If you have furniture you'd prefer not be scratched up or climbed on, most pet shops sell a spray that smells funky to cats, or you can rely on the tried and true squirt bottle method.

For puppies, it's a bit less of a climbing issue and more of a potty, chewing, and floor issue.  Once again, remove any exposed wires (or cover them), chemicals, or fragile things near to the ground.  If you have hardwood floors that need to not be scratched, keep the dog's nails trimmed and consider a nail cover like Soft Paws.  Potty training will be covered next week.

For rabbits, chewing is by far the biggest issue, followed probably by spraying (when it comes to un-neutered males).  Since rabbits LOVE branches, wires must be covered.  If you have to have some exposed, you can easily cover them using plastic tubes like come in long lengths for fish tanks.  Just slit down the length of the tube and pop it over the wire.  That way, you can watch for chewing before it becomes dangerous.  Keep inappropriate foods, plastic bags, and chemicals off the floor and any furniture the bunbun might be allowed to jump up on.  Papers are another thing to watch out for - they love to tear, and they don't care how important the papers are to you!  ;)  If you have other out-of-cage animals that you're concerned about, keep them in another room until they have been properly introduced and you're positive they can get along. 

For other free-roaming pets, just make sure there isn't anything lying around that can be chewed, messed on, or might be poisonous.  It's just important to have everything prepared so that no serious accidents occur while they're settling in.  :)

Next week I'll cover introducing pets to your home and to other pets, when to start handling your new animal, and how to train and potty train your new small animal.  :)

See you next Caturday!

-Miss Mouse
<:3 )~

P.S. - I know I missed putting up that animal spotlight this Wednesday, I'm sorry.  We've been so busy house-shopping that I didn't have much time to write a good one.  I'm still going to post something up, though, hopefully this week.  ;)